Blackberry Bold - functions crippled by vodacom?

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assagai

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Hi,

Just got the bold from vodacom on a 24 month contract - first off i realised that you cannot use gprs or 3g on this phone unless you get the bolt on service - would've been good if the salespeople at vodacom4u could've informed me of that! They said it would all work but then i found out i could not brows using the regular vodacom internet apn.

Secondly, no blackberry maps - the maps have been disabled in the vodacom firmware (which is an old version, can't find the latest firmware for the bold anywhere)

so my question - is it possible to use the bolds internet features without a BIS bolt on? According to vodacom support there is NO WAY to use the internet APN on a bold without having the BIS bolt on, true?

and secondly, is there a way to get blackberry maps working on a vodaphone branded bold???

any help much appreciated.
 
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Oh, I so wish the networks would leave the phone manufacturers alone. There is far too much manipulation.

No maps. That suks.
 
assagai said:
Hi,

Just got the bold from vodacom on a 24 month contract - first off i realised that you cannot use gprs or 3g on this phone unless you get the bolt on service - would've been good if the salespeople at vodacom4u could've informed me of that! They said it would all work but then i found out i could not brows using the regular vodacom internet apn.

Secondly, no blackberry maps - the maps have been disabled in the vodacom firmware (which is an old version, can't find the latest firmware for the bold anywhere)

so my question - is it possible to use the bolds internet features without a BIS bolt on? According to vodacom support there is NO WAY to use the internet APN on a bold without having the BIS bolt on, true?

and secondly, is there a way to get blackberry maps working on a vodaphone branded bold???

any help much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Its a blackberry. Why would you buy one and not get the blackberry service? :confused:

None of the functions have been "crippled by Vodacom" - it's just how the device works.
 
bwana said:
Its a blackberry. Why would you buy one and not get the blackberry service? :confused:

None of the functions have been "crippled by Vodacom" - it's just how the device works.
Click to expand...

well - obviously the push email isn't going to work - but i want gprs until my package migration goes through next month.

i DID find a way to get it working by editing the vpn, obviously the vodacom staff is just not clued up about how to do it, and neither are you judging by your answer.

and blackberry MAPS have been disabled by voda - so it's certainly not a case of 'that's just how it works'

and the firmware being offered by voda is an older, branded version, my guess is that maps have been disabled in the firmware, because the app information shows that the software is installed, theres just no way to access it - i suppose they only want us using their voda-branded sat nav
 
If you really want BB Maps you can debrand your phone. Not sure how though, try www.blackberryforums.com. Once you get the BIS service then you can use Satnav which is supposed to be better (I'm on MTN so I wouldn't know).
Definitely get the BIS bolt on though as you'll save a lot on data and like Bwana says what's the point of a BB without BIS?
If you have any more Bold specific questions or you want to share your experiences post to this thread: http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?p=2486826#post2486826
 
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oronte said:
If you really want BB Maps you can debrand your phone. Not sure how though, try www.blackberryforums.com. Once you get the BIS service then you can use Satnav which is supposed to be better (I'm on MTN so I wouldn't know).
Definitely get the BIS bolt on though as you'll save a lot on data and like Bwana says what's the point of a BB without BIS?
If you have any more Bold specific questions or you want to share your experiences post to this thread: http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?p=2486826#post2486826
Click to expand...

Thanks will check out the blackberry forums
I guess there isn't much point in a blackberry without push email - it's best feature, but we should still be able to use gprs for browsing - like if i wanted to use opera instead of the blackberry browser - according to vodacom this isn't possible, but i did figure out how to do it. I want to be able to use the browser etc while i'm waiting for my blackberry services to become active, something that can ONLY be done on the 1st - also according to vodacom.
 
We spoke to a Vodacom guy at Menlyn once and he said it's better to get the "Vodaphone branded phones" from MTN or CellC because then it wouldn't be Vodaphone branded, ie you get all the features on the phone.
 
assagai said:
and blackberry MAPS have been disabled by voda - so it's certainly not a case of 'that's just how it works'
Click to expand...
Then why am I looking at Blackberry Maps on my device now? Maybe you should check again once you've enabled the Blackberry service. BTW - its not particularly good - I much prefer the google maps.
assagai said:
obviously the vodacom staff is just not clued up about how to do it, and neither are you judging by your answer.
Click to expand...
I know the whole Blackberry concept can be confusing to the uninitiated but there's no need to be rude and to compound it by being just plain wrong. ;) Of course I know about editing the APN to use the internet one but why would I want to edit it and disable the all-inclusive data package? :confused:
assagai said:
Thanks will check out the blackberry forums
I guess there isn't much point in a blackberry without push email - it's best feature, but we should still be able to use gprs for browsing - like if i wanted to use opera instead of the blackberry browser - according to vodacom this isn't possible, but i did figure out how to do it. I want to be able to use the browser etc while i'm waiting for my blackberry services to become active, something that can ONLY be done on the 1st - also according to vodacom.
Click to expand...
You can activate blackberry services within minutes via Vodacom4Me. The package is bolt on and can be activated on any vodacom contract as well as payg. In fact its r10 cheaper via PAYG.

I'm currently using Opera on a Blackberry via the Blackberry APN. You've been able to do that for quite some time now.
froot said:
We spoke to a Vodacom guy at Menlyn once and he said it's better to get the "Vodaphone branded phones" from MTN or CellC because then it wouldn't be Vodaphone branded, ie you get all the features on the phone.
Click to expand...
The only branding I see is the Vodafone logo on the start up and on the bottom of the device. Of course maybe you know of some missing features that I dont.
 
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Just got the bold from vodacom on a 24 month contract - first off i realised that you cannot use gprs or 3g on this phone unless you get the bolt on service - would've been good if the salespeople at vodacom4u could've informed me of that! They said it would all work but then i found out i could not brows using the regular vodacom internet apn.


BlackBerry is a very unique offering on Vodacom - the idea is that you pay a fixed monthly BB fee in exchange for unlimited internet browsing (phone browser only) and email with attachments. It really is worth it if you're a high-end user like myself. This is the unique offering of BlackBerry. I suggest that if you don't want BB service you call 111 and have a heart-to-heart with them about allowing you to choose a different device. Just remember that the iPhone is also locked to the iPhone APN.

Secondly, no blackberry maps - the maps have been disabled in the vodacom firmware (which is an old version, can't find the latest firmware for the bold anywhere)

Maps don't work because Vodacom offers unlimited device life-long SatNav. Something to note about the Vodacom service - it's a Vodafone service being resold on Vodacom. Therefore, Vodacom are contractually bound to the Vodafone agreement. Really, don't go shouting at Vodacom as the folks there are really working very hard to deliver world-standard applications and services.

All in all - the BB service from Vodafone is a money saver.

so my question - is it possible to use the bolds internet features without a BIS bolt on? According to vodacom support there is NO WAY to use the internet APN on a bold without having the BIS bolt on, true?


Best you contact 111 0r 155. I cannot answer that. I've actually never used the BB service just connected others to it - and no complaints.

and secondly, is there a way to get blackberry maps working on a vodaphone branded bold???

Again, call 111 or 155.

MobiMonkey!
 
I don't believe BB Maps are provisioned for Vodafone Blackberry Bold because they provide Satnav.
Bwana: Are you sure you're actually using BB Maps and have you updated your firmware recently? Google Maps are worthless in SA as they only have a few major roads.
BB Maps has every road in SA, eg my road (which has been in existence for 30 years) is excluded even from top notch services like Garmin but BB maps has it and correctly calculates routes to any street address in SA. The only thing it doesn't have is voice navigation and speed cameras, but I've very impressed with it nonetheless. It even accurately calculates the speed we're travelling at and correctly updates text based instructions as you move, not to mention following your route on the map accurately.
This is on my MTN Bold which came with European Maps which fully cover SA.
 
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What the hell is the point of having a Blackberry without the Blackberry services because it just costs a bit extra?! *confused* Its like buying a car without a steering wheel.
 
Got a Blackberry curve (Vodacom)- Use Satnav, BB Maps, Google Maps and other GPS software.

As far as I know BBmaps is part of the service books that is send to your device by your provider. So until your Bolt on is enabled and your device is registered on the BB network you will not have BBmaps
 
If you not using Satnav, and the Vlive 0 - rated apn.
How much data is used while navigating?

Just for interests sake.
 
sorry, but some people clearly aren't reading my post -

i did order blackberry services but VODACOM REPRESENTATIVES, and i've spoken to at leas FIVE of them at the 155 number all say using oper/browsing the web with the internet apn is IMPOSSIBLE without BIS - they also say that i CANNOT activate BIS until the 1st of FEB (i "upgraded" my contract package to bb240, it's not a bolt-on) - trying to do this on vodacom4me does not work.

Secondly the actual BLACKBERRY MAPS app is not on my phone, maybe, as another poster pointed out it will be 'enabled' and the icon will appear after bis gets activated next month.

As for vodacom's 'unique' data offering, well this is a pretty stock bb package, it's a problem that their staff are not well trained when it comes to the bb products, i had someone at 155 tell me that they use a bb on standard payg and it's 'only capable of making calls' - go figure.
I learned more from the few posts here then anyone at voda was able to tell me - internet ftw

Bwana - i didn't mean to be rude, you did seem to claim that what i was trying to do was impossible, in your follow-up post you seemed to have changed your opinion. Anyway no offense.
 
A few points:

- Looking at my Bold, I see the maps and I see I'm currently in my house. So that seems to work. As does the SatNav application.

- I can't see why the Bold can't work as a normal phone on the internet apn, obviously you'll pay for all the data.

- As posted above, using a BB with the BB APN makes no sense whatsoever. Unless you like to give VC more money? :)

- iPhone is NOT locked the the iPhone APN.

I have noticed more than once before that you have to entice some BB's to load all the apps. Happened to my Curve (twice). Bold was OK and I'll see tomorrow on my Storm.
 
vodacom3g said:
A few points:

- Looking at my Bold, I see the maps and I see I'm currently in my house. So that seems to work. As does the SatNav application.

- I can't see why the Bold can't work as a normal phone on the internet apn, obviously you'll pay for all the data.

- As posted above, using a BB with the BB APN makes no sense whatsoever. Unless you like to give VC more money? :)

- iPhone is NOT locked the the iPhone APN.

I have noticed more than once before that you have to entice some BB's to load all the apps. Happened to my Curve (twice). Bold was OK and I'll see tomorrow on my Storm.
Click to expand...

thanks for that info - i'm just telling it straight as i got it from dialling 155 and speaking to several "advanced data' staff who all told me the bold would NOT work over gprs until BIS was activated... and one more time again - the reason i want to be able to do this is that i am still WAITING for bis to be activated - but i need web access in the MEANTIME....

hopefully you are correct and the bb maps can be installed with some fooling around with the app loader, but i haven't managed to get it working yet.
 
assagai said:
thanks for that info - i'm just telling it straight as i got it from dialling 155 and speaking to several "advanced data' staff who all told me the bold would NOT work over gprs until BIS was activated... and one more time again - the reason i want to be able to do this is that i am still WAITING for bis to be activated - but i need web access in the MEANTIME....

hopefully you are correct and the bb maps can be installed with some fooling around with the app loader, but i haven't managed to get it working yet.
Click to expand...

I'm not disputing what they told you, I'll check today and revert.
 
ID_10_T said:
As far as I know BBmaps is part of the service books that is send to your device by your provider. So until your Bolt on is enabled and your device is registered on the BB network you will not have BBmaps
Click to expand...
I just got my Bold today on MTN and was upset to see that there are no BBmaps available on my phone
. My BIS isn't activated yet so that should explain it I hope. *holds thumbs*
 
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